Species Hyacinthus lanatus

Hyacinth, in Greek mythology a youth much beloved by Apollo as well as Zephyrus, the wind god. Apollo and Hyacinth took turns throwing the discus to each other and Hyacinth was accidentally struck by the discus as he ran to catch it and fell to the ground and died. Apollo believed that the wind god, Zephyrus, a rival for Hyacinth’s affections, purposely blew the discus off course, resulting in Hyacinth’s death. In grief, Apollo caused the hyacinth flower to rise from the youth’s blood.